A series of fires have swept through Sudanese refugee camps in eastern Chad over recent days, causing extensive damage to shelters and property and raising growing concerns about a worsening humanitarian situation.
Eyewitnesses told Darfur24 that a fire broke out at Alasha camp market, completely destroying it. This was followed by another fire on Friday at Adré camp, which burned down more than five houses. A subsequent blaze at Meiji camp destroyed over ten homes, amid a lack of firefighting equipment and weak safety measures.
Witnesses said the fires left dozens of families homeless and deprived them of their sources of livelihood, as the flames engulfed shelters built with highly flammable materials, as well as shops and essential goods that refugees depend on for their daily needs.
Residents inside the camps relayed urgent appeals to humanitarian organizations and UN agencies to intervene immediately by strengthening safety and protection measures and providing shelter and emergency assistance. More than 800,000 Sudanese refugees in eastern Chad are suffering from severe shortages of food, healthcare services, and humanitarian support.
Local actors warned of a deepening humanitarian crisis in eastern Chad, noting that the recurrence of such incidents exacerbates the suffering of refugees amid dwindling humanitarian aid and weak basic services.
